The UWBQ-I: An Adaption and Validation of a Measure of Instigated Incivility

Purpose

The purpose of this research was to adapt and validate a multidimensional instigated incivility scale. Previously, instigated incivility research has used unidimensional scales, measures designed for specific occupations (e.g., nursing), item subsets of larger scales, or scales designed for experienced incivility that assumes a change of referent will not impact the scale. This research formally validates the change of referent from experienced incivility to instigated incivility, and offers a scale designed for wide range of occupations with demonstrated advantages over a popular unidimensional scale.

Design

Study 1 proposes a second-order factor structure of the measure. Surveying a sample of 472 individuals, the study confirms the measure’s ability to predict additional variance in interpersonal deviance over a previous measure of instigated incivility, as well as provide greater detail relating to a multi-faceted personality dimension (narcissism). Study 2 uses a unique sample of 642 participants and expands the nomological network of the scale by demonstrating the correlational and predictive relationships to a network of related constructs identified by past research.

Findings

The results of Study 1 identify that the multidimensional factor structure of UWBQ-I remains intact when changed from an experienced incivility scale. Regression and dominance analyses demonstrate that the UWBQ-I provides additional variance accounted for over Blau and Andersson’s (2005) scale, capturing a larger portion of the instigated incivility construct domain. Additionally, the advantages of a multidimensional framework are identified by relating the scale sub-facets to equally specific dimensions of narcissism. Study 2 further supported the validation of the UWBQ-I by replicating a large network of relationships that have been previously identified in incivility research.

Implications

Considerably less research has been dedicated to instigated than to experienced incivility research. The present studies offer a scale that may contribute to increased research by providing more specific relationships between facets of incivility and constructs such as personality. Greater understanding of the detailed relationships may help researchers further identify antecedents and consequences and aid practitioners in developing interventions to understand and quell instigated incivility in the workplace.

Originality

Although research has used a scale such as this, the validity of the scale has never been demonstrated. This research establishes the appropriateness of the past use of such scales and also offers researchers a standard, validated measure to incorporate in a broad range of occupations for future incivility research.

     

受害者视角下职场不文明行为对组织公民行为影响的双路径机制

本文基于资源保存理论,探讨职场不文明行为对组织公民行为的影响机制及作用边界。通过问卷调查315份员工和领导的配对样本数据,结果表明：职场不文明行为负向预测组织公民行为,情绪耗竭、组织自尊中介了职场不文明行为与组织公民行为间的关系;心理韧性调节了情绪耗竭、组织自尊在二者间的中介作用。     

Bullying and cyberbullying in adulthood and the workplace

Two studies generated profiles of cyberbullying/cyberincivility and traditional bullying/incivility in adults, particularly within the workplace. In Study 1, 20% of 3,699 participants had the majority of cyberbullying victimization and 7.5% had the majority of traditional bullying victimization occur in adulthood, with 30% saying they were bullied at work. Relationships between bullying and negative outcomes were found. Because of the clear evidence of bullying and cyberbullying in the workplace in Study 1, Study 2 addressed the relationship of these constructs to workplace incivility. Workplace face-to-face incivility and bullying were related among 321 participants, as were workplace cyberbullying and cyberincivility. Face-to-face incivility was more common than online incivility, face-to-face bullying, or online bullying, yet all four behaviors were associated with negative outcomes. Differences in intentionality, acceptability, and severity were observed, with workplace face-to-face bullying perceived as the most severe and having the greatest intentionality to harm. These results emphasize the importance of studying bullying among adults, and highlight the conceptual independence of bullying and incivility. Correlates of workplace aggression are discussed using job demands-resources theory.     

A systematic comparison of three sadism measures and their ability to explain workplace mistreatment over and above the dark triad

The present study investigated a potential antecedent of workplace mistreatment, sadism, which represents the dispositional tendency to engage in cruel, demeaning, or harmful behavior for dominance or pleasure. Time-lagged data from 379 Amazon Mechanical Turk workers showed that sadism positively predicted interpersonal deviance, instigated incivility, and cyberbullying frequency above and beyond the dark triad. Moreover, relative weight analyses consistently identified sadism as the most important predictor of workplace mistreatment compared to other dark triad predictors. This study also sought to identify possible differences among three popular sadism scales. The three scales were interchangeable in terms of predicting the outcomes. Confirmatory factor analyses and differential item functioning analyses both revealed, however, that only the SSIS was invariant across sex groups.     

Assessing Workgroup Norms for Civility: The Development of the Civility Norms Questionnaire-Brief

Purpose

This research describes the development and validation of the Civility Norms Questionnaire-Brief (CNQ-B), a 4-item measure designed to assess workgroup climate for civility. Climate for civility is defined as employee perceptions of norms supporting respectful treatment among workgroup members.

Design/Methodology/Approach

Five samples (N?=?2,711) of adult employees, including two from distinct organizations and three from multiple organizations, responded to the CNQ-B and additional measures.

Findings

Evidence for the internal consistency, and convergent and discriminant validity of the CNQ-B was observed. Additionally, evidence for the criterion-related and incremental validity of the CNQ-B was demonstrated as it was a significant predictor of later-assessed incivility experiences and accounted for significant variability in work attitudes beyond incivility experiences and related measures.

Implications

The CNQ-B is a psychometrically sound instrument despite being composed of only four items. The CNQ-B can be used by researchers and practitioners alike to assess climate for civility, to study climate for civility as a precursor to incivility experiences, and to target workgroups that could benefit from interventions (e.g., training) to enhance civility and reduce incivility.

Originality/Value

This is one of the first studies to conduct a rigorous psychometric assessment of a measure of workgroup climate for civility that is grounded in theory and research on workplace civility and incivility. At four items, the CNQ-B is the shortest assessment tool currently available that is designed for this purpose.     

Attributions and Appraisals of Workplace Incivility: Finding Light on the Dark Side?

Ample research demonstrates that workplace incivility has individual and organisational costs, but an important question remains unanswered: might it have benefits as well? We investigate this possibility by focusing on incivility appraisals—both negative and challenge appraisals (i.e. as an opportunity for learning, growth)—and their correlates. To explain this diversity of appraisals, we examine whether attributions (i.e. perceived intent to harm, perceived perpetrator control) predict perceptions. We conducted two multi‐method (quantitative and qualitative) surveys, one of which was multi‐source, of employees across a range of occupations. In Study 1, attributions that perpetrators acted with control and malicious intent fuelled negative appraisals of incivility, which undermined job satisfaction. Study 2 added to these findings by demonstrating that some targets formed challenge appraisals of uncivil encounters, especially when they attributed low malicious intent to perpetrators; challenge appraisal related to boosts in job satisfaction and thriving. These attitudinal outcomes then positively related to organisational citizenship behaviour, as reported by targets' coworkers. Showing paths to incivility harm (and potential benefit), our findings can inform interventions to alter the impact of workplace incivility.     

Beyond one work day? A daily diary study on causal and reverse effects between experienced workplace incivility and behaving rude towards others

In this diary study with N = 348 employees, we examine whether the contagion effect of workplace incivility transfers beyond one work day that is whether the experience of workplace incivility is related to showing rude behaviours towards others the next day. Additionally, we examine whether ruminating in the evening of a work day and building an intention for revenge behaviour mediate this relationship, and explore whether a serial mediation process exists where experienced incivility triggers ruminative thoughts, which, in turn, increase the likelihood of intending to act, which transfers into actual rude behaviour the next day. Using a multilevel path analysis, our results confirmed a lagged relationship between workplace incivility one day and rude behaviours towards others the next day. Between-persons’ workplace incivility was also related to showing rude behaviour towards others. Neither rumination nor revenge behaviour intent proved to be mediators of this relationship. Additionally, the serial mediation process was not confirmed; however, parts of the process—namely the relationship between experienced workplace incivility and ruminating about work in the evening—received support. Importantly, the reverse relationship (i.e., showing rude behaviour one day leads to experiencing workplace incivility the next) was not supported in our analysis. By adding a new, daily time perspective, our study suggests that participants do not intentionally provoke episodes of incivility, but rather react to others’ incivility.     

工作场所不文明行为受害者向实施者反转的机制

梳理和归纳了导致工作场所不文明行为的受害者反转为实施者的组织事件, 包括团队层次的不作为领导行为和领导不文明行为以及个体层次的同事不文明行为。借助事件系统理论对受害者反转为实施者的认知过程进行了说明, 如果组织事件的强度足够引起受害者的控制化信息加工, 则其可能改变自己的原有行为进而实施工作场所不文明行为; 根据社会信息加工理论, 受害者的控制化信息加工可以通过三条路径实现, 即学习过程, 归因过程和道德判断过程。建议未来研究进一步探讨情绪和认知两者在不文明行为受害者角色反转中的作用, 以及工作领域之外的因素在其中的作用, 并且能够使用日记研究法进行验证; 未来研究还可以探讨工作场所不文明行为的旁观者反转为实施者的机制。     

Organizations Behaving Badly: Antecedents and Consequences of Uncivil Workplace Environments

The present study investigated the relationship between employees’ perceptions of five characteristics emphasized in their work organization (i.e., individualism, hostile interaction styles, competition, hierarchical governance, and email reliance) and the occurrence of incivility in that context. We also examined how perceptions of uncivil environments, in turn, related to personal experiences of workplace incivility and negative outcomes for targets. The proposed model was examined in two samples of university faculty. Study 1 tested the model with three organizational characteristics (individualism, hostile interaction styles, and competition) and three outcomes (job satisfaction, turnover intentions, and physical health) in a sample of faculty from a wide range of departments at a large Southern university. The second study investigated two additional organizational characteristics (hierarchical governance and email reliance) and an additional outcome (psychological distress) in a nationwide sample of law faculty. Results demonstrated that all but one of the characteristics (email reliance) related to perceptions of an uncivil workplace environment; uncivil environment perceptions, in turn, predicted personal experiences of incivility and negative occupational and health outcomes.     

Positive Leader Behaviors and Workplace Incivility: the Mediating Role of Perceived Norms for Respect

Scholars have called for research on the antecedents of mistreatment in organizations such as workplace incivility, as well as the theoretical mechanisms that explain their linkage. To address this call, the present study draws upon social information processing and social cognitive theories to investigate the relationship between positive leader behaviors—those associated with charismatic leadership and ethical leadership—and workers’ experiences of workplace incivility through their perceptions of norms for respect. Relationships were separately examined in two field studies using multi-source data (employees and coworkers in study 1, employees and supervisors in study 2). Results suggest that charismatic leadership (study 1) and ethical leadership (study 2) are negatively related to employee experiences of workplace incivility through employee perceptions of norms for respect. Norms for respect appear to operate as a mediating mechanism through which positive forms of leadership may negatively relate to workplace incivility. The paper concludes with a discussion of implications for organizations regarding leader behaviors that foster norms for respect and curb uncivil behaviors at work.     

The impact of civility interventions on employee social behavior, distress, and attitudes

Although incivility has been identified as an important issue in workplaces, little research has focused on reducing incivility and improving employee outcomes. Health care workers (N = 1,173, Time 1; N = 907, Time 2) working in 41 units completed a survey of social relationships, burnout, turnover intention, attitudes, and management trust before and after a 6-month intervention, CREW (Civility, Respect, and Engagement at Work). Most measures significantly improved for the 8 intervention units, and these improvements were significantly greater than changes in the 33 contrast units. Specifically, significant interactions indicating greater improvements in the intervention groups than in the contrast groups were found for coworker civility, supervisor incivility, respect, cynicism, job satisfaction, management trust, and absences. Improvements in civility mediated improvements in attitudes. The results suggest that this employee-based civility intervention can improve collegiality and enhance health care provider outcomes.     

工作场所的不文明行为

工作场所不文明行为违背人际相互尊重的原则, 为组织环境带来广泛的慢性危害, 但由于其表现形式温和、伤害意图不明显, 因而长期被人们所忽视。近年来, 和谐的工作环境成为各界关注的热点, 工作场所不文明行为也受到越来越多学者的关注。回顾国外研究, 对工作场所不文明行为的概念界定、测量工具、前因变量和影响结果进行了系统梳理, 在此基础上总结对制度设计和选拔培训的管理启示, 并提出测量本土化、机制情境化、层次群体化、视角动态化等未来研究方向。     

The identity impact of witnessing selective incivility: A study of minority ethnic professionals

We examine how minority ethnic employees account for witnessing selective incivility to ethnically similar others. Our study is based on qualitative interviews with British Asian employees – the majority who witnessed incivility directed towards migrant Asian employees working for the same company. Our findings indicate that, for those whose minority ethnic identity was of central importance, witnessing selective incivility towards others from a similar ethnic background can be perceived as an identity threat. We provide insights into three identity work strategies undertaken by witnesses of selective incivility, while illuminating how minority ethnic identity shapes the way witnesses' respond to selective incivility in the workplace.     

Changes in the Frequency of Coworker Incivility: Roles of Work Hours,Workplace Sex Ratio,Supervisor Leadership Style,and Incivility

Previous research has identified individual characteristics that affect experiences of coworker incivility. However, much less is known about environmental characteristics that affect these experiences. Drawing on the social learning theory and the frustration–aggression hypothesis, this study examined the effects of supervisor incivility and work hours on coworker incivility. Data collected from 692 full-time employees showed that changes in the frequency of supervisor incivility positively predicted changes in the frequency of coworker incivility over the next 6-month period. This relationship tended to be stronger for employees who had a supervisor lower rather than higher in the levels of autocratic leadership style. Furthermore, changes in work hours positively predicted changes in coworker incivility. The workplace sex ratio was not an important factor that differentiated experiences of coworker incivility for either men or women. The results of this study highlight the importance of attending to the environmental characteristics of the workplace to understand the occurrence of coworker incivility.     

基于认知和情绪反应的工作场所无礼行为发展模型

无礼行为在工作场所中广泛存在, 但由于其强度低、意图模糊等特征, 从而使组织很难有效地甄别、预防或控制它。在总结工作场所无礼行为已有研究成果的基础上, 笔者展开了下列三方面的工作：首先, 厘清无礼行为与其他相关不良行为的概念边界; 其次, 梳理了工作场所无礼行为的相关理论模型的发展进程, 主要介绍情绪认知评价理论模型、情感事件理论模型和无礼行为的情绪反应模型; 最后, 基于目前研究存在的问题和不足, 主张建构一个以认知和情绪反应为中介, 以社会文化、人格和组织因素为调节变量的无礼行为的模型, 并建议未来的研究运用纵向实验设计的方法来确定各变量之间的因果走向, 以求进一步丰富、完善和深化无礼行为的发展机制模型。     

Incivility at Academic Conferences: Gender Differences and the Mediating Role of Climate

In a survey study of 458 U.S. women and men, we examined experiences of incivility at an academic conference, a context that represents an important extension of the academic/professional workplace. We hypothesized and found that women reported more incivility, perceived the climate to be more sexist, and reported more conference exclusion than men. Counter to our prediction, men and women did not differ in how negatively they viewed the climate or their conference satisfaction. Since incivility may be a subtle form of bias that targets women more than men, women’s experiences of incivility may lead them to view the environment as more sexist. We found support for this, such that the relationship between incivility and sexist climate perceptions were stronger for women than men. Finally, we proposed that incivility would be related to negative conference outcomes through more negative perceptions of the conference climate for both genders, and through sexist climate perceptions only for women. Results of our path analyses indicated that positive, but not sexist, climate perceptions mediated the relationship between incivility and conference satisfaction for both genders. Further, both sexist and positive climate perceptions mediated the relationship between incivility and conference exclusion for both genders. We discuss incivility as a gendered phenomenon related to sexist contexts, as well as reasons for the observed mediated relationships. Additionally, we discuss the significant role that conference experiences may play for women and men in academia and professional settings, and implications for conference organizers.     

Personal and workgroup incivility: impact on work and health outcomes

This article develops a theoretical model of the impact of workplace incivility on employees' occupational and psychological well-being. In Study 1, the authors tested the model on 1,158 employees, finding that satisfaction with work and supervisors, as well as mental health, partially mediated effects of personal incivility on turnover intentions and physical health; this process did not vary by gender. Study 2 cross-validated and extended these results on an independent sample of 271 employees, showing negative effects of workgroup incivility that emerged over and above the impact of personal incivility. In both studies, all results held while controlling for general job stress. Implications for organizational science and practice are discussed.     

Experiencing Incivility in Organizations: The Buffering Effects of Emotional and Organizational Support1

Research shows that being a target of organizational incivility is associated with negative outcomes, including declines in job satisfaction, physical health, and psychological well‐being. Two studies (90 property management company employees; 210 undergraduate students) were conducted to examine whether 2 types of social support—emotional and organizational—act as buffers of the relationship between incivility and outcomes in workplace and academic contexts. Two types of incivility were also examined: general workplace incivility and gendered incivility. Consistent with the hypotheses, the results of both studies indicated that employees and students who experienced higher levels of incivility reported better outcomes when they felt organizationally and emotionally supported. Implications for organizations are discussed.     

Linking family incivility to workplace incivility: Mediating role of negative emotions and moderating role of self‐efficacy for emotional regulation

The research on work‐related antecedents of workplace incivility (WI) is well‐established, yet relatively less attention has been paid to non‐work‐related experiences as key antecedents to employees’ incivility at work. Drawing upon the incivility spiraling framework and spillover theory, we use a moderated‐mediation model to investigate the impact of employees’ experience of family incivility on their behavioral WI through the mediation of negative emotions and the moderation of self‐efficacy for emotional regulation (SEER). The multisource field data also demonstrate general support for the hypothesized relationships. Findings revealed that negative emotions carry the spiraling effect from family incivility to WI. In addition, SEER moderated the positive direct relationship of experienced family incivility and negative emotions, and indirect association with behavioral WI. These findings have implications for theory and management alike, further suggesting directions for future research.